As its name suggests, this species is a mountain dweller and can be locally common at high altitudes in certain mountain ranges across southern Europe. Both sexes are quite pale, possessing a dull yellow underside hindwing and white and yellow forewing. The uppersides are rarely seen, but in the female the upperside is a pale white tinged with green, with black suffused markings around the margins. The male is similar but the white is replaced with a dusky yellow. It is classed as Near Threatened due to potential impacts of climate change on its mountain habitats.

Distribution: Picos de Europa and Pyrenees (Spain), Pyreenes (France), the Alps (SE France, N Italy, S Germany, W Austria and the S half of Switzerland) and the N Carpathians (Romania).

Flight Period: Flies in a single generation between late May and late August, peaking in July.

Habitat: Alpine meadows and grasslands between 900-2600m, but usually above 1800m.

Foodplants: Several legumes are used, including Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa), Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), Alpine Bird’s-foot Trefoil (Lotus alpinus) and White Clover (Trifolium repens).

Nectar Sources: Various flowers including thymes (Thymus), knapweeds (Centaurea), scabiouses (Scabiosa), Shaggy Hawkweed (Hieracium villosulum), Senecio doronicumĀ and others.